Powerball’s or any other lottery’s jackpot is always a huge amount and it is the dream of every player to emerge the winner of such life-changing money. Many have risen to affluence after their tick hit the jackpot. On the other side of the pole are individuals that didn’t put their earning into a good use and thus their life became worse a few of years after they received their winnings. Some others would have become rich with their prizes but fate was against them. Here, I will tell you 20 stories of Powerball lottery winners that will either surprise you or make you shudder.
? Lucky Beggars with a Great Life!
One thing is winning a lottery and another thing is investing the money wisely. Many people have won huge amount of money in lottery and their financial status became worse afterwards because they didn’t invest their earnings properly. On the hand, there are a number of lottery winners that have risen to affluence because they were able to manage their prizes and put them into good business. Here are some of lottery winners that spent their prizes diligently.
John and Lisa Robinson – $327.8 Million
On 13 January, 2016, John and Lisa Robinson rose in affluence with a huge of $327.8M (including taxes) received as winners of a Powerball jackpot. They couple cash out the entire sum, but decided to continue with their normal life despite the change in affluence. They stayed in their Tennessee home of Munford. John and Lisa were not happy with the way people were coming to them requesting for monetary aids.
Thus, after a couple of years, they moved into a home with a private lake valued at $6.2 million. The home features ten bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a richly equipped theatre. They couple requested for privacy as they enjoy their fortune in their new abode built on a 320-acre of land from where one can have an impressive view of Tennessee.
That’s what we’ve done all our lives, is work. You just can’t sit down and lay down and not do nothing anymore.
Gloria MacKenzie – $590.5M
An 84-year woman, Gloria Mackenzie broke the Powerball winning record in 2013 by winning $590.5 jackpot. Her total payout after taxes were deducted was $278 million. Initially, Mackenzie was living in a rental apartment of $30,000. But with a change in affluence, she moved to a seaside home in Jacksonville, Florida, which she purchased for $1.2M.
The kind-hearted grandmother promised to give a portion of the money to her boy, Scot. She also gave out $2M in donation for the roofing Maine high school. Nothing is known about Mackenzie now as the family has asked not to be publicized.
We are grateful for this blessing of winning the Florida Lottery Powerball jackpot and appreciate the interest of the public, the state of Florida and the lottery.
Cindy and Mark Hill – $587.5 Million
Cindy and Mark were declared the winner of 50% of November 2012 Powerball jackpot of $587.5M. Though the prize is huge enough to change the couple’s status, they still kept to their simple way of life since after receiving their earnings. However, with more money at their disposal, the couple continues with humanitarian services and finance civic projects such as a ball field and fire station at Camden Point.
They helped the town to purchase a land for the building of a sewage treatment plant by donating over $50,000. They also made a huge contribution to the scholar fund of Platte High School. Indeed, it can be said that Cindy and Mark have made a good use of their prize thanks to the various philanthropic acts they engaged in. However, not much is known about other ways the family has spent the money.
We are pretty well-grounded and worked hard all our lives.
Lerynne West – $343.9M
Lerynne West emerged the winner of the half of Iowa Powerball jackpot of $687.8 in 2018. While receiving her earnings, Lerynne disclosed that apart from committing to humanitarian services through Callum Foundation, – a charity foundation she founded after she was informed of winning the jackpot – she would go for a long holiday and give portions of the money to relations and people in good terms with her.
I want you to know that as I stand here today I know the responsibility that I have to do good with this money.
Robert Bailey – $343.8 Million
At 67 years of age, Robert Bailey, a retiree emerged the NY Powerball jackpot winner on 27 October 2018. His total earning amounted to $343.8, the largest so far in the history of NY lottery. Rather than taking all the lump sum at a time, he preferred to be paid in annuity. The first amount he received was $198,086,518. Robert said he has an idea of what to do with his fortune. He also mentioned that he would continue to purchase lottery ticket and stick to his number which he received from a family member.
It is a good life changer. I plan to do the right thing with the money.
? Hitting Jackpot and Lost Everything!
Winning a jackpot is definitely the dream of every lottery player as the amount is substantial enough to change the status of the winner. Unfortunately, not all winners of jackpot were able to able to invest the huge sum they were paid wisely. For one reason or the other, they lost all and went back to their old status before they became super rich.
Lara and Roger Griffiths – Lost $2.76 million Lottery Jackpot
Lara and Roger would have been rich if they have put the prize they received into good use. Unfortunately, Roger thought, that £1.8million lump sum he received was an inexhaustible amount. The couple took to a life of extravagance and became careless with their business, signing contracts without reading through the content. They purchased a home for 670,000 and exotic cars – a Porche valued for £28,000 and a £10,000 Lexus.
With such a lifestyle, they became bankrupt. Lara accused Robert of having an extra-marital affair. Though they started a spa business, but they have to obtain loans using their home as a collateral in order to secure the business as it is not yielding any benefit. The 42 years Robert disclosed that he was left with £7 and was feeding on his parent’s money.
It didn’t cross my mind that I’d end up here – the one thing I didn’t want to do was waste that money.
William “Bud” – From $16.2M Win to $1M Debt<
A year after winning Pennsylvania lottery jackpot amounting to $16.2 million in 1998, William Bud incurred a debt of $1 million. He lost a third of earning to his former girlfriend in a court case. He survived an assassination attempt planned by his brother who wanted to inherit what was left of the lump sum paid to him.
He invested the money in the family business but it yielded no profit. He received a jail sentence for shooting over a bill collector’s head. Before his death in 2006, William was feeding on food stamps and was earning only $450 per month.
I was much happier when I was broke.
Bad Luck of Martyn and Kay Tott – Lost A $5 Million Win Ticket
Martyn and Kay Tott were fortunate to win $5 million (£3M) in lottery but luck was against them to remain permanently rich. Besides, losing the money, their union became tensed. First, they didn’t learn about their winning until when the news of the unclaimed jackpot was being announced on the TV.
Secondly, they couldn’t find their ticket and it took Camelot officials seven weeks to look into their claim and prove that the ticket was theirs. The investigation lasted more than 30 days timeframe allowed for making a report of missing tickets. Thus, nothing was paid to them as it was decided that the company was not legally obliged to hand the money over to them. Their dream of living big was squashed by bad luck.
Thinking you’re going to have all that money is really liberating. Having it taken away has the opposite effect.
Sharon Tirabassi from $10.5 million to Zero!
Nobody will believe that Sharon Tirabassi, a mother of nine will live in a tenanted apartment, commuting to work with a public bus after she received $10.5M Jackpot of Lotto Super 7 in Canada. Yet, that is what life has become for her nine years later. The 35 year Sharon testified that her extravagant lifestyle, poor financial decision and indulgence in flamboyant lifestyle led to her fall from affluence to poverty.
She went for luxury trips, purchased expensive home, branded wears, high budget cars, and monetary gift to family members. She turned her home into a mini bank lending out money to dears without collateral. Unfortunately, a greater percentage of these monies borrowed were not returned. They also lost their home in a court case resulting from bodily injury caused by Vinny in a car accident.
Keep it to yourself (lottery earnings) and don’t trust anybody but family.
Evelyn Adams Gambled It All
Evelyn Adams was a lottery winner for 1985 and 1986 which paid her $5.4 million. But rather than putting the money into a revenue generating business, she spent the entire fortune on Atlantic city gambling industry. She was also not able to manage the numerous request for monetary help she got from friends and people that know her.
It didn’t change me, but it did change the people around me.
? Big Powerball Lottery Win Can Cost A Life!
Becoming the winner of Powerball lottery jackpot is definitely the dream of every person that stakes their money in the game, given that the payout is a life-changing amount. However, while winning the lottery has changed some people’s fortune, others have lost their lives after becoming winners and never lived to enjoy their money. They are either murdered by a swindler, close friend or a family member who has the right of inheritance over their assets. This is the case of the following lottery winners.
Abraham Shakespeare – Murdered for $30 Million
Abraham Shakespeare played the Florida Powerball lottery and won the jackpot amounting to $30 million in 2006. Unfortunately, he didn’t live beyond 2009 to enjoy his earnings. First, he used a huge percentage of his earnings to help other people including relatives. Unfortunately, a woman of 40 years old DeeDee More he became friend with ended his life. Moore was given a life prison sentence after she was declared guilty of the murder of Abraham in a court case that went beyond two weeks.
The Bible states, it’s better to give than to receive.
Jack Whittaker Rounded by Tragedies
Jack Whittaker made history by becoming the winner of the US Powerball jackpot of $315M in 2002. No sole winner before this time has ever won such amount. However, the earning which was supposed to change the life of Jack and his family for good became the cause of unfortunate incidences to them.
First, on two different occasions, thieves got access to his car and made away with his thousands of dollars. Secondly, he had series of lawsuits coming from different individuals either against him directly or against his business. To worsen the situation, Brandi, the granddaughter of Jack started abusing substances with the money her grandfather was giving her.
Overdose of the drug resulted in her death which was also the cause of the death of her boyfriend who died before her. Lastly, the daughter of Jack also kicked the bucket and the cause of her demise was a mystery to everyone. Why fielding questions from an ABC interviewer, Jack said he had wished he destroy the ticket.
I was accustomed to making big money and making my own money, and I never could get interested in school again after that.
Poisoned Urooj Khan
Urooj Khan, a regular lottery player residing in Chicago won $1 million jackpot after staking his money many times to no avail. However, he didn’t live to cash his check. He gave up the ghost shortly after he was proclaimed the winner. At first, it was believed that his demise naturally occurred, but later, it was discovered through a second autopsy that urge was poisoned.
His siblings were suspecting his wife of being his murderer because before his death, he signed a contract that gave her the right of inheriting much of his assets that were worth of thousands of dollars. Surprising, his death happened after he had a meal prepared by his wife.
Fatal Death of David Lee Edwards
David Lee Edward was an ex-convict who before winning a $27Million jackpot in 2001 was badly broken. His home in Ashland, Kentucky has no running water. But when he emerged the lottery winery with a ticket he purchased for $7, he got himself a jet, various brands of exotic cars and a mansion. Unfortunately, he died in 2013 when he was 58 years old as a result of hepatitis.
And so I didn’t want to accept this money saying I’m going to get mansions and I’m going to get cars, I am going to do this and that. I would like to accept it with humility.
Billie (Bob) Harrell Jr Suicide
Billie Harrell who was once a jobber at Home Depot became rich and lived a lavish lifestyle after winning a huge jackpot of $31M USD. However, sooner, life became a nightmare for him. There were numerous calls from people requesting for handouts from him, which made him to get himself new phone line for a number of times.
To add salt to the injury, his marriage with Barbara Jean ended in divorce not up a year after he had purchased his winning lottery ticket. Perhaps, Harrell was not able to cope with these challenges and he took his own life on 22 May, 1999, on a day he was to eat dinner with his former wife.
Winning the lottery is the worst thing that ever happened to me.
?Recent Powerball Lottery Winners
People keep winning lottery jackpots of different amount on yearly basis. In the recent years, there are a lot of people that have won life changing amount. Only time will tell where these recent lottery winners will be classified, that is, whether winning will bring them luck or misfortune and whether they will invest their earnings wisely or not.
David Johnson – $298.3 Million
26th Dec. 2018 remains a remarkable day for a 57-year lottery player, David John, who was named the person to go home with $298.3, a prize in the New York Powerball lottery of 2018, the second hugest ever won in the state. He got this earning with a $5 ticket. David preferred annuity payment of a large sum of total of $180,227,550. After paying all required taxes, he will be left with $114,091248.
The Jamaican-born lucky winner normally stakes his money on Lotto, Powerball and Mega Millions as he aimed at getting huge earning. His dream has come true when the check was presented to him at the Resorts World Casino in Queens by Yolanda Vega. With such amount, no need for David to continue his truck driving job. He declared his intention to resign immediately.
Don’t get me wrong, the job pays well. It’s hard work. So, I always wanted to quit. Now, I get a chance to quit.
Tayeb Souami – $315.3 Million
Tayeb Souami’s worth increased by M183.2 which was the lump sum he received from the $315 powerball jackpot he won on May 19, 2018. won the Powerball jackpot of $315.3 with a single ticket. Tayeb has put his money in lottery for 21 years. His patience and resolute have yielded a life-changing benefits to him.
This is big. I am very emotional right now. I like the numbers and I always play with those numbers.My day has come. Hopefully one day it will come for you too.
Nandlall Mangal – $245.6M
Nandlall Mangal, a resident of Staten Island became a multi-millionaire at 42 years when his single $6 ticket won him a jackpot of $245.6 which he received on 11th August, 2018. He preferred to cash out a one-time lump sum amounting to $99,321,975 after all taxes were paid. Mangal told journalists that he planned to travel to relax before deciding on how to invest his earnings. The Guyana born construction worker surprised many people by continuing with his job after winning such huge amount with a ticket of $10.
I’m going to invest some, pay off my bills, my debts. I’m pretty sure at some time, I’ll buy a new car.
Winner Claims $559.7M via the Good Karma Family
Not much is known about the identity of the lady who won $559.7M in Powerball lottery of the New Hampshire in 2018. However, Good Karma Family 2018 got the money on her stead. What was left of the money after all taxes have been paid was $264M. The New Hampshire’s Girl Inc. received a donation of $250,000 from her through her representatives.
When you win this kind of money, you realise you have responsibilities. A lot of people think it is just glitter [but] there is a lot of stress involved – a quote from the winner’s lawyer.
Judi F. – $133.2M
Judy F, A Clifton based woman’s consistence with Colorado Powerball has paid off when she was declared the winner of a Powerball jackpot of $133.2 million on September 2017. Judy has never changed the numbers – 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and 24 – she played for thirty years even though it has not won her any jackpot until 2017. According to her, the numbers were birthdays of people closer to her. After receiving her earning, Judy planned to retire immediately. But it was not clear what she was retiring from.
It is not only our blessing, but it is the blessing of our whole families.